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Message: [QUOTE="ctchamps, post: 5074364, member: 37"] How can someone arguing no one knows the future be emphatic that it’s idiotic to make an argument about the necessity of getting into a power conference? There is factual evidence that the power conferences are less interested in a format of championships that is nationally popular if it means diluted revenue sharing. The NCAA bb tournament is lucrative because of it’s popularity. Football is more popular than basketball. So why isn’t there a similar Division 1 football championship to ones that exist in basketball, baseball or Division 2 football? The media would give many multiples of money that they offer for the NCAA basketball tournament. The reason is it has been a monopoly for the power conferences going back to the bowl format. They have no intention of sharing revenue with other universities. Once consolidation finishes they’ll continue to squeeze out those left behind in basketball. That’s their common goal. And the new changes such as NIL will likely make them accelerate the process. Many of the basketball only fans laugh at Syracuse’s Helms trophies. The NIT has been reduced to insignificance for many of these fans. There is not much interest in following division 2 and division 3 programs. The fan base treated the last few years of the KO years like someone was cutting their testicles off. They correctly correlate the success we’ve had in basketball with our association in the BE. But unfortunately they are not willing to recognize the machinations of the power conferences and what the result will be if UConn is no longer in the national spotlight because it’s playing in a second tier group. All the bravado and pride of walking through airports or vacation destinations with our UConn gear will be reduced to insignificance. Our history of success will fade quickly because most fans need a new fix to sustain their happiness. Again read the fan’s reaction at the end of KO’s tenure. Or the amount of respect towards the basketball powers in the fifties and sixties that are no longer successful. That’s history. It quickly becomes irrelevant and no longer talked about by most fans. That’s the potential fate of UConn basketball if we don’t get into a power conference. Is my argument an opinion. Certainly. But I believe it has merit. There is a valid fear that leaving the BE can hurt our chances of success. At least we would be in the mix for getting the better players. Most of the fans in the men’s bb forum have a condescending attitude to the women’s team and game. I know how they’ll react if we are placed in an inferior position. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach